“Where do I hope to end my career? At Inter,” the midfielder told FcInterNews.it. He arrived on a free transfer from Real Madrid in 2004.

“I don’t think a place in the 2014 World Cup is impossible if I play for a great club like Inter. If I am not playing for the Seleccion, then I am their biggest fan.”

His fellow Argentine Zanetti continues to run rings round the younger players despite the fact he turned 39 in August.

“Zanetti is supernatural,” laughed Cambiasso. “The most amazing thing is not how much he runs in training and in the games – which is a lot – but how quickly he recovers. Specialists assure there’s nobody like him in that sense.

“In two or three years, Zanetti will be considered the most representative player in the history of Inter.

“I also live for football, so I make sure anything I do off the field, whether it’s walking or travelling, doesn’t damage my profession. I know that the career of a football player is short.

“It is absolutely crucial to eat well and sleep regular hours, almost more important than training. Alcohol is prohibited, as are most drinks that aren’t water.”

Although a defensive midfielder, Cambiasso has scored 45 official goals in 374 games for Inter and reveals his secret.

“I follow a move until the bitter end and that is why I scored so many goals on follow-ups. I never give a move up for dead. I also have to focus on the balance of the team, so I almost always score when we are either losing or drawing.”